Sunset Sorrow
by Kirbymon11
Summary: Tails feels depressed. His best friend has beaten him, yelled at him, and overall rejected him. He's all alone, now...or so he thinks. ooc, especially for Sonic. Please R&R! Oneshot. T for language.


Sunset Sorrow

By Kirbymon (0v^)^

AN: I've been meaning to write something like this for a while. I'm just about as big a fan of KnucklesxTails brotherly as KnucklesxSonic brotherly, so I figured I'd write this. I also just wanna say...HAPPY 20TH, KIRBY! I know it was two weeks ago, but still...20! I may do a seperate fanfic for Kirby's 20th later on. Anyways, enjoy the fic!

The twilight sky was a deep shade of dusk orange. The waves were lapping up and down in a perfect, relaxing rhythm. The light of the setting sun reflected upon the sand, making it glisten like freshly-formed diamonds. The sunset...that was the most beautiful part of it all. The bright, orange-yellow orb that was the sun was surrounded by an atmospheric aurora of purple, red, and yellow. Emerald Coast had never looked so alluring.

Sulking on the shore, letting the waves rinse his feet, was a yellow, two-tailed fox. The fox, going by the name of Tails, let his twin tails droop and bowed his head. He let tears fill his eyes._ Why, Sonic...why would you do this?_

The young kitsune's memories came back to him.

Flashback:

_Tails is in a lush, green forest, chasing after a cobalt hedgehog._

"_Sonic...where are you going?"_

"_Don't worry, little bro. I'm just going away for a while, that's all."_

"_Where?"_

"_Nowhere in particular. Just getting away for a while and exploring."_

"_Can I come?" "I want you to stay here."_

"_But...why?"_

"_I need some time to myself. I'm sure you'll be fine."_

_The hedgehog gives the child on the head and dashes off, surpassing Mach 1 in mere seconds._

"_Sonic..."_

(End flashback)

What Tails had just remembered happened only yesterday. Sonic, his best friend, had left him for no reason at all. In fact, Sonic had been ignoring him for quite some time. A few months ago, Sonic had even beat Tails for accidentally breaking half of Sonic's rings...but why? Wasn't Tails more important than money? Tails remembered a few of the times Sonic was mad at him...

More flashbacks:

_Tails has dropped a chili dog, Sonic's favorite snack, into a puddle by accident._

"_TAILS, what was that?"_

"_I'm sorry, Sonic..."_

"_NO APOLOGIES! Do you know how much money that cost?"_

"_...20 Rings...?"_

"_20 Rings out of MY bank account! You're grounded!"_

_A few days later, Tails has puked all over the floor in a restaurant after eating too much. The manager kicks them both out._

"_NEVER eat here AGAIN!"_

"_Can we at least get our money back?"_

"_NO!" The manager slams the door in their faces._

"_NOW look what you've done! That cost me 200 Rings per person! That's 200 Rings! TWO-HUNDRED RINGS!"_

"_Sonic...I think I'm sick..." "Take care of yourself, you little bitch!"_

(End flashback)

What had Tails done wrong? Had he been...annoying to Sonic? He looked at his right arm. A big, purple bruise stared him in the face. It was still there from when Sonic had beat him. Tails gasped as he thought something horrid: _Sonic...doesn't like me..._

Tails covered his face with his hands and sobbed. He sobbed like he had never sobbed before. Every second, he cried harder and harder. Sonic, his best friend, his big brother...hated him. That's why he wanted to leave...to get away from Tails. He probably hoped Tails would die.

Sonic _had_ been hanging around some of their tougher friends lately, like Shadow. He might have...no, he _definitely _thought Tails was useless. Whenever Tails had tried to fight, recently, Sonic had pushed him aside.

Tails weeped even harder and louder. Sonic not only thought his money was more important than his best friend, but he also thought that Tails was weak and useless. Tails plopped onto the sand and continued to cry. _Will Sonic ever care about me again...?_

Suddenly, Tails felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned his head slightly, just enough to get a look at the figure behind him. It was a red, violet-eyed echidna with spiked boxing gloves and red, LEGO-like shoes. Tails knew this person...it was Knuckles, another good friend to Tails who had, surprisingly, been nicer to him than Sonic had lately.

"...Knuckles...?" Tails whimpered, his Tails perking up slightly. At least he wasn't alone anymore. The scarlet echidna nodded his head. "I came by to pick up some salt water for a few of my exotic plants when I saw you here...is something the matter?"

Tails remained silent. "Tails...?" Knuckles said, starting to become worried. Tails was usually a happy-go-lucky kind of guy, he'd never seen him this upset. Tails finally squeaked, "Sonic abandoned me..."

"Huh?" Knuckles had no idea what the young fox was talking about. "Sonic left me. He ran away from me in the woods, he said he was going out to explore for a little while...but I don't think he's coming back..." Tails continued to sob fiercely. Knuckles knelt down next to Tails. This made no sense at all.

"That's not possible," the echidna replied, "I thought you meant the world to Sonic." "Not anymore," Tails whispered, and told Knuckles about everything that had happened recently. The Rings, the restaurant, the beating...he even showed Knuckles the bruise.

Knuckles clenched his fist. "That bastard...I can't believe him, beating an innocent kid like that..." Tails shuddered. He didn't like anyone calling Sonic such a bad name...but he could see the reasoning behind Knuckles calling him that.

"Knuckles..."

"Yeah?"

"Do you think Sonic's ever gonna come back...?"

The echidna sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "I wish I could tell you, but...that guy's unpredictable..." Tails sniffled. "Do you think he really hates me?" "I highly doubt it," Knuckles replied, "He may just need some time to himself. But, even if he really won't come back..."

Knuckles stood up and pulled the kitsune into a tight but gentle embrace and continued, "...I'll be there for you." Tails looked into his friend's violet eyes. Maybe, even if Sonic won't come back...he'll still have someone to watch over him. A new big brother. Tails wrapped his arms around Knuckles' middle. "Thank you, Knuckles..." the fox smiled for the first time that evening.

"You know, if you want...you can come to Angel Island and stay with me for tonight..." Knuckles said, in a tone that sounded like he really wanted Tails to come with him. Tails thought for a minute before deciding. He wasn't sure, as he hadn't stayed at the island overnight for quite a while...but he didn't have anywhere else to go, and besides, Knuckles would keep him safe.

Tails buried his head into the echidna's scarlet-colored chest and whispered, "Yes...I'd like to..." Knuckles could tell that the child was tired, so he picked him up and held him in both arms. As Knuckles walked towards the teleporter that he used to go to and from the island, the kitsune realized that he was safe at last. Safe from beatings, safe from rejection, safe from sadness...he fell asleep in his new brother's arms.

The End

AN: Aw, ain't that sweet? :') I wanted to make this a bit sadder, but I wasn't sure how. I think it's sad enough for now, though. Anyways, hope you enjoyed, R&R!

**Sonic: Do it, or I'll give YOU a big purple bruise!**

Sonic...? That's a little TOO ooc...


End file.
